Despite being relatively new to the Hong Kong premier league, Dejan Damjanovic has already earned wide accolades with his solid work on the pitch. As a result, it really comes as no surprise to see the veteran striker being named as the BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League MVP (February and March 2021) , co-chosen by The Football Association of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Sports Press Association.

Ever since making his Kitchee debut in late February, Damjanovic has certainly hit the ground running, dishing out five goals in seven premier league appearances for Kitchee during February and March.

Upon learning being named as the monthly MVP, the well-travelled Damjanovic humbly played down his own achievements.

“To be honest with you, this is my job,” shrugged Damjanovic. “I am simply trying to do my best, hoping to help Kitchee to achieve the best possible results.”

“I still remember when I first decided to join Kitchee, there were a lot of whispers out there,” Damjanovic recalled.

“Some people said Dejan was too old. Some people said Dejan would struggle to keep up with the match tempo. Some people also questioned if I could still score… …all these doubters motivated me to keep on going. I have been scoring throughout my career and when I first saw the overall quality in the Kitchee squad, I knew there is a good chance for me to achieve success over here.”  

While Damjanovic might be turning forty in the coming summer, the former Montenegro international insists his will-to-win has never wavered, despite his advancing age.

“For me, it is not enough to simply score goals for Kitchee and to play well,” Damjanovic revealed.

“I joined the team because I wanted to help the club to improve, and to show people that Hong Kong football is of a decent standard.”

As a veteran player who has “been there, done that and bought the tee-shirt”, Damjanovic has established himself as an Asian football icon through years of consistent goal-production in Korean football. However, despite his status in the game, the well-trusted goal-machine is extremely down-to-earth and is often seen sharing a few words of wisdom with his younger Kitchee teammates on the battlefield, such as fast-rising Kitchee hotshot Matthew Orr.

“My Kitchee teammates do not need me to teach them anything at all,” Damjanovic explained.

“I just believe they need to be reminded of a few things that they might have missed out on every now and then.”

“Character is extremely important to a professional football player, especially on his own performance and development. If you have a strong character, you can pursue any dream with a chance to succeed, just like what we are trying to do in the Hong Kong premier league and the upcoming AFC Champions League.”